“Boys & girls, let’s play a game and have fun!“

1. Divide players into groups of three.
2. Give each group 10 balloons and a large beach towel (or similar cloth).
3. Two of the players will hold the towel at each end. The third player will have all ofthe balloons. When the game begins the two players will wave the cloth as the third
player places a balloon on the cloth.
4. The third player continues to add balloons to the cloth, as the two players wave thecloth trying to keep all the balloons in the air without losing balloons.
5. At the end of the game give each child same number of balloons to keep.

“Boys & girls, listen carefully. Can you uncover today’s powerful Bible Discovery? Ready?”

THE CIRCUMSTANCE: (Matthew)19:1-2
Today children, we have a wonderful bible story to tell you, it’s called “The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard”. Did you ever wonder how Jesus traveled from city to city? I am going to give you several choices; raise your hand on the one you like. Did He fly in a plane? How many think He traveled in a car? How many think a camel? Do you think Jesus and His followers walked wherever they went? Yes, they did. Everyone raise your hands. Great job. It was a beautiful day when Jesus left Galilee and went to the region of Judea. Many, many people followed Him. Jesus healed those who were sick. Then Jesus started to teach them about God. He told this parable or story to
everyone. Jesus’ parables were so interesting and full of meaning all of the people listened with great interest; a lot like you are listening to our Bible story today.

THE CHOICE:  ( Matthew 20-3-7 )
Jesus told the people the story of the “Vineyard Owner and the Workers”. He started by saying “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labors for his vineyard.” Boys and girls, I wonder how working in a vineyard is similar to heaven? Put on your listening ears, and we will discover the meaning of our story. The parable (story) doesn’t give the name of the owner of the vineyard, but we learn he is a kind, and caring person, a lot like our heavenly father is. That could be our first clue. The owner of the vineyard went out early in the morning to hire workers. The workers agreed to work that day for one denari, which they agreed was a fair wage. Throughout the day the owner realized, he needed more workers. Therefore, he went back at least three times and hired more workers. As he hired them he said, “Whatever is
right I will give you”. The different workers went out, without a promise of any specific wage. The vineyard owner must have been an honorable man in his community, for they trusted him. Is that also like our Heavenly Father? Second clue. When the day was done the owner told his steward (supervisor) to give each man one denari. He was paying those who worked a few hours the same as those who worked the whole day in the sun. He generously paid all of the workers a full day’s wage at the end of the day. This seemed unfair to those who had worked hard all day in the hot sun. They complained to the owner, “These last men have only worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have born the burden and the heat of the day.”

THE CONSEQUENCE: (Matthew 20:8-16)
The Vineyard Owner points out he has not been unfair to those who came first. After all, they agreed to work for a day’s wages. He has simply been generous to those who came last. In this way, Jesus said, the “last will be first and the first will be last.” The parable of the Workers in the Vineyard teaches us about the generosity of God’s free gift of Salvation to all those who believe in Him, and repent of their sins, no matter what age we get saved. (Matthew 19:28-29.) You are children and if you choose to follow Jesus now, and if an old grandfather chose to follow Jesus now, the time each of you serve Jesus will be different. Does this sound like our parable of the workers in the vineyard? You both will receive salvation. However, once we receive God’s free gift of salvation, each of us will be rewarded for our own works during our time on earth. Boys and girls isn’t this a beautiful parable that explains to each of us, no matter at what age we receive God’s free gift of salvation in the end we all receive eternal life. What is Salvation? It is freedom from sin, sickness, and death. It is eternal life in Jesus Christ! Reward for Labor in the Kingdom of God: God called each one of us to be a laborer in His kingdom, promising, whatever is fair as a reward for the works we do on earth. When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal savior, we will all receive eternal life and spend eternity in Heaven with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

“Boys & girls, what did we discover about God in this Bible History? (Coaches: answers will vary.) Let’s become great discoverers by asking some fun & challenging questions. Ready?”